This Short Story Goes a Long Way!

Toonopolis Short: Anchihiiroo
by Jeremy Rodden

I recently read Jeremy Rodden’s book, Toonopolis: Gemini and loved it (read my review here), so I was very excited to learn that Jeremy had written a novella about one of the characters in that book.  What a great way to meet this interesting character, to learn his back-story and to see how he fits into Toonopolis: Gemini.   

Toonopolis Short: Anchihiiroo is the story of Yoshi, later known as Anchihiiroo and even later known as Han’Eiyuu.  The novella introduces us to five-year-old Yoshi at the moment he becomes an orphan and we follow him until he becomes a man.  Throughout his life, Yoshi suffers at the hands of evil men and is cared for by gentle ones.  There’s an underlying tug-of-war in his heart between good and evil.  He wants to protect his town from evil so the townsfolk won’t have to suffer as he has.  He trains for years to be the hero they need.  But, he also feels a need to avenge the death of his parents and the training he receives at the hands of his sensei will prepare him for battle. 

Will he ultimately be a hero or an anti-hero?  Will he use his mind, body and spirit strength for good or evil? 

As in Toonopolis: Gemini, the characters in this novella are extremely well structured.  They are so real that you forget that you’re reading about cartoon characters… well, until one of them says something wildly sarcastic and you quickly remember that you’re in a toon world!  That’s the great thing about Jeremy’s writing, just when you think something is very serious, he gets all goofy on you.  The comic relief is perfectly placed and always welcome.  And just as quickly, you’re back in the action and loving it.

The story stands steadily on its own but, trust me, you’re going to want to know what happens next and what happens next is in Toonopolis: Gemini.  Read separately or together, these are two great stories that everyone will enjoy. 

You’ve done it again, Jeremy!  I can’t wait to read more about your great characters.  Keep the stories coming because we want to keep reading them!

Until next time... stay cool!

Martha

Visit Jeremy Rodden here.

Purchase Toonopolis Short: Anchihiiroo here.  For pre-teens to 100+

Jeremy on Twitter: @toonopolis

Toonopolis Facebook Page here.

DISCLOSURE: I want to sincerely thank Jeremy Rodden for sending me a complimentary copy of this book to read and review.

TOONOPOLIS: GEMINI is Freezing Cold... I mean FIVE STARS!

In the first line of the acknowledgements page of Toonopolis: Gemini author Jeremy Rodden thanks his family and “especially” his mother.  I would also like to thank Jeremy’s mother.  I have a feeling she's a pretty cool lady.  I think she probably let Jeremy watch cartoons and movies, let him play video games, and encouraged him to read anything he could get his hands on.  I suspect he still does all of those.
 
Jeremy is a scholar of imaginary worlds and he knows that in those worlds anything goes.  He's filtered that scholarly knowledge through his crazy (I don't mean that in a bad way) brain and given us this great book.

Jeremy's cartoon world is meticulously detailed and terrifically humorous.  From the moment you enter Toonopolis with the book’s protagonist, Gemini, you begin a journey like no other.  Every character you meet will remind you of someone in a movie, book, cartoon, comic book, video game, or even a family member or friend, but they will also have a unique quality that only Jeremy can assign to them.

A young man, Gemini, is unsure of who he is and what he’s doing in a strange place called Toonopolis.  His memories are lost.  He can’t remember anything that happened before this moment but he knows something just isn’t quite right.  The book follows Gemini on his quest to find out who he is and what he’s doing there.  Along the way he makes many great friends and a few enemies.  What’s a great adventure without enemies, right?

Toonopolis is indeed a strange place full of fascinating characters. By "characters” I mean, cartoon characters. Gemini realizes he’s a cartoon character himself, but he has a feeling there’s a real Gemini in the real world.  He needs to find a way to make sense of all this while living in a very non-sensical world.  

As the quest unfolds, the characters travel from one section of Toonopolis to another; each as unique as the characters in the book.  A description of Supercity, a comic book section, is spot on:

“Supercity looked like the drawings in a comic book.  All the building lines were very sharp and outlined in black.  It also seemed to him if he focused on one building or one vehicle in the street that it would become more brightly colored while the scenery in the background became duller.”

The action, the comedy, the quest, the characters themselves, and the unique sections of Toonopolis make this a terrific book.  But wait!  There’s more.  Jeremy has an intimate understanding of how the cartoon world works and he's happy to share the details with you.  Want to find out how cartoon characters can just pull random items out of thin air?  Want to know why they don’t fall to a horrible death when they run off a cliff?  All will be revealed as you read this book.

Toonopolis: Gemini is a classic tale of adventure, friendship, determination and honor told in a Bugs Bunny, Roger Rabbit, Groucho Marx sort of way!  You’ll love it!

Before I go, I want to acknowledge the terrific illustrations by Cami Woodruff.  You'll find it hard not to skip ahead to the next chapter just to see what Cami's done next!

Until next time... stay cool!

Martha

Visit Jeremy Rodden here.

Purchase Toonopolis: Gemini here.  For pre-teens to 100+

Jeremy on Twitter:  @toonopolis

Toonopolis Facebook Page is here.